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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08 BUILDING PERMIT TECHNICIAN PROJECT POSITIONDocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 Agenda Item 8 Reviewed: os AGENDA REPORT City Manager�� Finance Director N/A MEETING DATE: MARCH 2, 2021 TO: MATTHEW S. WEST, CITY MANAGER FROM: DERICK YASUDA, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES SUBJECT: AMENDING THE CITY'S CLASSIFICATION PLAN TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL POSITION IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDING PERMIT TECHNICIAN AND ESTABLISH A LIMITED TERM PROJECT POSITION SUMMARY Adoption of the attached Resolution will amend the City's Classification Plan to include one additional position in the classification of Building Permit Technician and authorize staff to fill the position as a limited term project position. RECOMMENDATION Adopt Resolution No. 21-18 to amend the City's Classification Plan and authorize the appointment of a project employee in the classification of Building Permit Technician for a period not to exceed five (5) years, unless otherwise extended or modified by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT On an annualized basis, the cost of the project position is approximately $62,000 - $80,000 per fiscal year, including benefits. Funds to account for this position are already available in the Community Development Department's operating budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21, therefore no additional appropriation is necessary. In addition, costs for the project position will be offset by a reduction in expenditures on contract consulting staff, resulting in cost savings of upwards of $50,000 on an annualized basis. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION A Building Permit Technician is a front -counter position that serves as the primary point of contact with property owners, developers, contractors, and other members of the public regarding requests pertaining to the building permit process and permit activity for various residential, commercial, and industrial building activities. The City currently employs two Building Permit Technicians, one in a regular full-time position and one in a full-time limited term project position. In addition, with the department's current workload, the Community Development Department has required the assistance of DocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 City Council Agenda Report March 2, 2021 Additional Position in the Classification of Building Permit Technician Page 2 third -party consulting firms to supplement staffing and provide the necessary services to the community and ensure projects are completed. With current and projected development activity in Tustin, the Community Development Department envisions an ongoing need for additional building permit technician services and is requesting that these services be provided directly by a City employee. Hiring an individual as a City employee as opposed to employing third -party contract staff will provide the Community Development Department with the ability to directly control and supervise the work of the individual employed as a Building Permit Technician, without running the risk of violating CalPERS regulations. In addition, based on the rates currently charged by the City's third -party consultant for these types of services, the City will save a considerable amount of money by hiring an employee directly rather than using a contractor for these services (the City is currently charged $65 per hour for these consulting services, which equates to approximately $135,000 per year). The City's Personnel Rules authorize the employment of "project employees" for a prescribed period of time or for the duration of a specified project, upon City Council approval. Project employees are hired directly by the City and are nearly identical to regular City employees, with the distinction that individuals in project positions are employed at -will and do not earn the right to employment beyond the period that is specifically authorized by the City Council. Hiring an individual as a project employee for a limited duration gives the City the flexibility to adjust staffing levels as necessary without the use of layoffs or the progressive discipline process. In all other ways (i.e. salary, benefits, employee association representation, and other terms and conditions of employment), a project employee is just like a regular City employee. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the appointment of a project employee in the classification of Building Permit Technician for a period not to exceed five (5) years. An employee hired into a project position is employed at -will, meaning employment may be terminated at any time by the City or the employee. This provides the City with the flexibility to eliminate the project position and/or terminate the current employee's employment at any time, for any reason, such as if a need no longer exists for the services the employee provides or if sufficient funding is not available. On the other hand, the City Council can extend the term of the project position at any time or convert the position to a regular full-time position in a future year's budget. The salary range for this position was previously authorized by the City Council as part of the 2018-2021 MOU with TMEA and included in the salary schedule adopted with the City's current budget; therefore no change is necessary to the City's Compensation Plan. Further, since funds for this position already exist within the department's approved budget, no additional appropriation is necessary. DocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 City Council Agenda Report March 2, 2021 Additional Position in the Classification of Building Permit Technician Page 3 VDDOCUSI/Signed by: I v Director of Human Resources Attachment: 1. City Council Resolution No. 21-18 DocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 RESOLUTION NO. 21-18 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF TUSTIN TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL POSITION IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDING PERMIT TECHNICIAN AND AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROJECT POSITION WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Tustin, California (the "City") has authorized and directed, under the provisions of the City's Personnel Rules, Resolution No. 15-50, the preparation of a Classification and Compensation Plan for all employees in the City service; and WHEREAS, Resolution No. 15-50 requires that amendments or revisions to the Classification and Compensation Plan be approved by resolution of the City Council; and WHEREAS, the City Council has periodically amended the Classification and Compensation Plans when appropriate; and WHEREAS, the City has determined the need to establish an additional limited term position in the classification of Building Permit Technician; and WHEREAS, an employee appointed to a limited term position in this classification will be a "project employee" as defined in the City's Personnel Rules; and WHEREAS, the City Council has consulted with the City Manager and Director of Human Resources concerning the proposed employment terms contained herein. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Tustin authorizes staff to implement the provisions of this Resolution and modify the City's Classification Plan to reflect the changes approved in this Resolution, and that the wages, hours, and conditions of employment be adopted and set forth as follows: Section 1: Establishment of Classification The classification of Building Permit Technician was previously established to provide public counter services pertaining to the building permit process and permit activity for various residential, commercial, and industrial building activities. Section 2: Project Appointment An employee appointed under this Resolution as Building Permit Technician is classified as a "project employee" under the terms and conditions specified in the City's Personnel Rules. A project employee holds a position which has been authorized by the City Council Resolution 21-18 Page 1 of 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 for a prescribed period of time or for the duration of a specified project. A project employee is employed at -will and does not earn the right to employment beyond the specific period authorized. Section 3: Effective Dates The effective date of each section is March 2, 2021, unless otherwise stated herein. Section 4: Term of Employment An employee appointed by the City under this Resolution to the position of Building Permit Technician shall be employed in this position for up to five (5) years from the initial date of employment. Extended terms of employment may be granted by the City Council as deemed necessary. The employee appointed to the position will be employed at -will and employment may be terminated at any time by either the City or the employee. Section 5: Salary The monthly salary range for Building Permit Technician is hereby incorporated as established in the current Memorandum of Understanding with the Tustin Municipal Employees Association (TMEA). Section 6: Benefits The City shall provide the Building Permit Technician appointed under this Resolution with the same benefits that are provided to employees in TMEA. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin held on the 2nd day of March 2021. LETITIA CLARK Mayor ATTEST: ERICA N. YASUDA City Clerk Resolution 21-18 Page 2 of 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: E73BD1 31 -133E7-41 C2-8131 0-02CC97182709 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS CITY OF TUSTIN ) I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council of the City of Tustin is five; that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 21-18 was duly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council, held on the 2nd day of March 2021, by the following vote: COUNCILMEMBER AYES: COUNCILMEMBER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED: COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: ERICA N. YASUDA City Clerk Resolution 21-18 Page 3 of 3